Mary Cox Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee 120 Maryland Avenue NE ,Washington. DC 200()2. 314-3227 C()x({~dscc.org September 30, 20 II Jacqueline B. Caldwell FOIA Officer Office of the United States Trade Representative 1724 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20508 To Whom It May Concern: Pursuant to the Freedom ofInformation Act, 5 U.S.C. §552 et~. ("FOIA"), I am requesting access to the following public records from the Office of the United States Trade Representative: • Any correspondence, including electronic, to your agency from or on behalf of Congressman Pete Hoekstra (January J993-January 20]1) • Any correspondence, including electronic, to your agency from or on behalf of Pete Hoekstra as a private citizen (January 20 II-present) I ask that you state the specific legal and factual grounds for withholding any documents or portions of documents. If possible, please identity each document that falls within the scope of this request but is withheld from release, as well. If requested documents are located in, or originated in, another installation or bureau, please refer this request or any relevant portion of this request to the appropriate installation or bureau. I would like to clarity and reiterate that I am not asking for access to any records that are explicitly considered private; rather, I am seeking only those records that are considered to be public information under the Freedom of Information Act. If the information can be sent through email or digital/electronic format, please send it that way (address provided above), particularly if providing the information reduces the time or expense involved. Otherwise, please send the information in paper form (mailing address also provided above). To help assess my status for copying and mailing fees, please note that I am a representative of a political organization, gathering information for research purposes only. Disclosure of this information is likely to be in the public interest and is not for commercial activities. I am willing to pay reasonable costs incurred in locating and duplicating these materials. Please contact me prior to processing to approve any fees or charges incurred in excess of $250. Thank you for your cooperation with this request. I am willing to discuss ways to make this request more manageable to your office. Please do not hesitate to contact me either via telephone or email. Sincerely, ~ ,k:f5 Or(o Mary Cox X CUTIVE OFFI E OF THE PRE IDENT OFFI OF TH UNIT D STATE TRADE R PRE ENTATIVE WA HIN N.D October 26,2011 Ms. Mary Cox Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee 120 Maryland Avenue, N .E. Washington, D.C. 20002 Dear Ms. Cox: This letter is USTR's response to your Freedom of Information Act request for "any correspondence, including electronic, to your agency from or on behalf of Congressman Pete Hoekstra (January 1993-January 2011); any correspondence, including electronic, to your agency from or on behalf of Pete Hoekstra as a private citizen (January 2011- present)" Please be advised that after a reasonable search we have located fifteen (15) documents within the scope of your request. Of those, we are releasing fifteen (15) documents in full. Inasmuch as this constitutes a complete response to your request, I am closing your file in this office. In the event that you are dissatisfied with USTR's determination, you may appeal such a denial, within thirty (30) days, in writing to: FOIA Appeals Committee Office of the United States Trade Representative 1724 F Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20508 Both the letter and the envelope should be clearly marked: "Freedom of Information Act Appeal". In the event you are dissatisfied with the results of any such appeal, judicial review will thereafter be available to you in the United States District Court for the judicial district in which you reside or have your principal place of business, or in the District of Columbia, where we searched for the records you seek. Ms. Mary Cox Page 2 Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact the FOIA Office at (202) 395-3419. Sincerely, Associ t Case File # 1101254 / EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE WASHINGTON, D. 20508 April 29,2010 The Honorable Peter Hoekstra U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Congressman Hoekstra: I am responding to your letter to Secretary LaHood and myself, co-signed by 55 of your colleagues, concerning the cross-border trucking issue. As you know, Mexico imposed duties on a wide range of U.S. exports after Congress passed legislation in March 2009 which required the tennination of a demonstration program for cross-border trucking with Mexico. Your letter notes the devastating impact Mexico's tariffs have had on a number of industries and fann sectors. Secretary LaHood and I have heard directly from a number of U.S. fanners and finns on the damage these duties inflict on competitive U.S. exports, and the jobs that have been put at risk at a time when exports should be leading us on the road to economic recovery. As you know, H.R.3288, the "Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010," included appropriations for the Department of Transportation and does not include the spending restrietions which had been contained in the March 2009 appropriations legislation. This prior legislation prohibited the use of appropriated funds for a cross-border motor carrier demonstration program with Mexico. Since H.R. ~288 was signed in December 2009, the United States now has the ability to work with the Congress and Mexico to develop a path for resolving our longstanding issues over cross-border transportation services. Such a resolution would contribute to the competitiveness of our economy and benefit our consumers. It would also, of course, result in Mexico ending its retaliation on U.S. goods. The Obama Administration is committed to working with you and other members of Congress to resolve this dispute in a manner that is consistent with our international obligations and that ensures our roads are safe and that all drivers meet our qualifications, I also want to explain this Administration's commitment to transparency. While statutory restrictions mandated by the Congress prohibited any work on a new demonstration program until recently, we have nonetheless consulted extensively. For example, USTR conducts monthly briefings through our fonnal private sector advisory system. The trucking issue has been discussed in nearly all of those briefings over the past year. In addition, we have met directly with finns and fanners that have been adversely impacted by the dispute. USTR and DOT have also met with Members of Congress on several occasions, and understand the diverse points of view that exist on this issue. Both I and USTR staff are of course available to meet . with you and the other signatories of your letter as we move forward on this issue. \lCongtt£)s of tur ZHniteb ~oufJe of.l\tpt'Wntatil f11 WRaJI)fngtotl, 1llE; 2051{ Marc./) 1,20 I.Q' / The,Honorable Ray LaH<)od Ati1l;l~~sad( Secretary ofTral1spott~lti()n UrjjJed StilI Department of Transportation 6U01 17,11 Sf 1200 New Jersey Avfnue, SE Washingtol Washington. DC 2()590 Dear Secretary LaHood and Ambassador Kirk: We are writing to express our concern about the lack of action and transparency by the United States Trade Representative Hl1d the Department of Transportatlon to address tariffs imposed by Mexico on U:S. agricultural and manufactUring products in response to the removal oftne cross-border trucking pilot program. These tariffs have had a devastating impact on our local industries and area economies. Therefore, giveh the importance of this matter to our constituents> we urge you to immediately impiementa plan oTaction to rectifY this situation. A$ you k~ow,Congresst~rminated futHjjng.fbr the cross-border trucking pifotprogrflm with Mexico in the P·Y20M Omnibus Appropriations. Act .. The resulting retaliation from MeXICO, incllldIJlg import duties on over 90 prQducts, has left farlll(!'rs'ang manufacturers scrambling. These goods have faced MexiCa!1 import tariffs hetween 10 and 45 percent fot ahnost a year. Over the past 11 months. Administration .offici.alshave repeatedly expressed confidence that a resolution to (be current dispute could be found that would fulfill oUr obiigations to M~xjco under the North Americafl Free, Trade Agreement. PresidentObama. e>l:pressed ·liis commitment to regolv ing the issue to President Calderon during their meeting ihGuadaJajara, Mexico· in August, 2009. However, to date, the Administration has not shared any of the principles or theparametets ofa proposed plan. Finally, in the FY'2010 Consolidated Appropriations Bill, Congress chose not to continue the funding limitation for the pilot ptogntm. The current situation is unsustainable and untenable. Our constituents need herp immediately and we implore you towork quickly to hnpleme~t a solution that enSures safety and normalizes trade between the U.S. and Mexico. Please communicate your plans for a solution so that we are better able to understand the Administration's strategy to address this matter and resolve this situation permanently. Our constituents need to move forward. ~~-=--- Rick Lllrsen th~M~M'ikeTbompso~ ~ BrianP. BUbray RubenA.4v Hjnojos~· ~r ~ ... Jim Cast ~--- Eddie Bernie ~1r~--. WaHy Hcrger Randy Neugehftltt -".JA~ Walt Minnick WitihlJl1 L. Owens ~~. .. ", .... Steven C; La' .ourdte .~ c . , . -. K~ 7n GM;ti ~ Kev·fu MH::artby Mike Ross H()'WllrdCobJe Jerry Moran \ --~./;;::::-~- Thomns E. Petti ,Jo~an,\V.··h--_ Cc: Susan Kurland, Assistant Secretary. for Inte:i'natiorlal Affairs and Aviation, Department of Transportation Miriam Saplro. Deputy Ambassador for Europe, Middle East and the Am.ericas EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE WASH I NGTON, D.C. 20508 F The Honorable Pete Hoekstra U.